Marina Curtis is a criminal justice major who loves to hunt. She got into hunting with the help of her father at a very young age.

“My dad, he was a hunter and he just wanted to pass it on and I kind of fell in love with it,” Curtis said.

Curtis’s first experience with hunting was when she was just four years old, and her father let her tag along during the experience. She never forgot the first time she shot a deer when she was 12.

“First time I actually hunted myself and fired a gun, I was 11 or 12 [and] I got a tiny little spike horn,” Curtis said. “I was very proud of it.”

As a lover of the outdoors, Curtis uses hunting as a way to get out and enjoy the seasons Michigan has to offer. She also loves marksmanship that comes along with the sport of hunting.

“I like being outside … I am a big fan of firearms and I think shooting guns is fun,” Curtis said. “It is a big part of that.”

Curtis took notice of the difference that hunting makes in conservation and that is a reason why she continues to hunt. She wants to pass on the legacy of hunting like her father did for her. 

“It is a huge conservation component because if we did not conserve land and game, I would not be able to hunt and I want my kids and grandchildren to be able to hunt,” Curtis said.

Trophy hunting does not really motivate Curtis. She prefers to eat her game, since she considers it one of the best sources of protein. 

“I kind of understand why people would trophy hunt but also it is not for me,” Curtis said. “A big part of if I shoot it, I am going to eat it … it is very lean, very healthy, and relatively cheap.”

Curtis and her father are also key members of Ducks Unlimited, a non-profit dedicated to the conservation of wetlands. 

“I am a chairman of Ducks Unlimited … My dad also worked for Ducks Unlimited as a regional director, so he basically fundraises,” Curtis said.

Curtis’s roommate has expressed interest in hunting, so she wants to grow the lifestyle and hobby of hunting. She is making sure to not rush into the experience with her and is starting by taking morning walks out in nature with her. 

“I am trying to convince her to come deer hunting with me this year, but I have to ease her into it,” Curtis said. “So, I promised her that I would not shoot a deer the first time she comes out with me.”

Marina is also making sure her roommate is up to date with the regulations for hunting in Michigan which you can get through Hunter Safety courses. Curtis’s advice for new hunters or people just wanting to get into the hobby is to join a club. She speaks fondly of how hunters have been very open to spreading the sport and its passion just like her father.

“I think joining a club sort of like Ducks Unlimited is great because a lot of our club members do hunt, and they seem very open to taking people out on hunts for the first time,” Curtis said. “All of the hunters that I know are very open to bringing people out because it is something that is dwindling, and we want to pass it on and make sure that it continues.”

Curtis will continue to hunt and grow the sport like her father did. She loves hunting because of the adrenaline she gets, the community, being outside and respecting nature. 

She loves the journeys that come with hunting and believes that this is a hobby just about anyone could add to their lives.

“[Make] sure you keep a love and appreciation for it,” Curtis said. “Because if you respect something, it seems to have a greater importance.”